The Resurrection Isn't Just an Easter Sunday Thing

Apr 4

Apr 4 The Resurrection Isn't Just an Easter Sunday Thing

Celebrations/Holidays, Easter–Resurrection

Sometimes we miss the obvious

As director of a Bible school in the Philippines, I got together with a group of teachers every Friday afternoon. We talked about the progress of the students, challenges in the classroom, and it was a time for me to mentor them.

We worked on ways to improve our teaching and mentoring of the students. At one of these meetings, I shared how important it is to have a message theme—the primary truth and focus of a message.

I had them review Peter's message, as he spoke to the crowd gathered at the Feast of Pentecost (see Acts 2:5-16). The goal was to identify Peter's message theme in Acts 2:22-36. At first, they had a hard time seeing the clear theme of his message.

They came up with all sorts of ideas the first time they reviewed the text. None of them saw the primary focus of Peter's message.

Sometimes we listen or look so hard at a text that we miss the simple and obvious.

I encouraged them to look through Peter's message again and to look for the truth repeated throughout it. I told them to look for five obvious references to this truth.

One by one, they looked up as they realized what it was. It was so clear and obvious, but seemed hidden from their understanding. Why? They were focused on what they were convinced of already.

I've found this to be true over and over again, both for myself and others in the process of discerning the truth in the Bible. It's hard for us to set aside preconceived ideas and assumptions.

It's hard to see beyond what we've been taught to see.

Seeing the obvious

What was the primary focus of Peter's message? The resurrection of Jesus! Peter makes at least five explicit references to the resurrection in his message (Acts 2:24, 25-27, 30-31, 32, 33, 36).

How the resurrection is essential

The resurrection is essential to the gospel and the biblical story of redemption throughout the Bible. When the truth of the Lord's resurrection is overlooked, it has a major impact on both our theology and walk of faith. Here are a few of the impacts—

The central focus of the gospel message of the early church, as seen throughout Acts, is diminished if we don’t see how the Lord’s resurrection is so vital (see Acts 1:21-22; 2:22-36; 4:10, 33; 10:34-43; 13:26-39; 17:22-32; 23:6).
The effective work of the Lord's death on the cross is nullified without the Lord’s resurrection—
- And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! (1 Corinthians 15:14-17).
It's directly connected with the reason why we have a living hope—our own resurrection and hope of eternal life—
- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).
The resurrection is essential to our relationship with Jesus in our everyday life—
- If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4) [also see Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 2:11-12]

The resurrection is essential to the gospel and the biblical story of redemption throughout the Bible.

As mentioned above, the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead enables us to have a true, living hope and to be confident of a future in this life and beyond.

As we come once again to another celebration of Resurrection Sunday, I hope that some of what I've shared will help you see how vital Christ’s resurrection is to your relationship with Jesus.